Ipad to replace cd player?


Reluctantly I have been forced to connect either my ipad or ipod to my system for audio. I was always against it so far! but wife and kids feel more comfortable with them as opposed to CD player. My system is Infinity intermezzos hooked to Lexicon MC12, CX-5, and a lexicon RT20.
How much of a deterioration in audio quality do you get playing mp3 off ipad etc?
Any suggestion reg good cable for hookup?
girish
I use a 120gb iPod Classic plugged into my Wadia 170 iTransport that is connected to my SMcAudio Revision A modified McCormack DAC-1 with a TARA Labs RSC Air 1 - 75ohm digital coax cable. I am pleased with the sonics to say the least. Sound is very good IMHO and it's easy to navigate thru my iTunes music library with the iPod. I use an Oppo 970HD plugged into the DAC-1 with Analysis Plus Toslink for playing CDs, which is also pretty good sound on the cheap. You can view the rest of my system here on Audiogon. Only I recently sold my McCormack RLD-1 SS preamp and bought a VTL TL-2.5 to put in it's place.

To sum up, the Wadia iTransport mated with a nice DAC that does a good job with jitter reduction is a great way to go IMO. Most iPod and iPhone will plug right in. Often visitors are allowed to plug in their favorite song, and are then suprised when they hear how good it sounds! Best of luck...
Wow! Thanks for valuable info. So if I get a external hard drive convert MP3 songs from my ipod to a lossless format like Wav. Use a DAC to convert Wav format to analog and connect to preamp, I should have better performance than playing straight mp3 format(which I dont like)?
Girish,
Just converting MP3 to a lossless format will not get you improved sound, as MP3, being a lossy format, has thrown away the original fidelity of the recording. You must re-rip from CD into a lossless file (WAV,FLAC,ALAC,etc) or download hi-rez files.